3,772 Graduate as Gov't Launches App to Connect Fundis With Customers

President William Ruto has presided over the first-ever Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) graduation ceremony, with 3,772 skilled workers receiving certification for competencies acquired through practical experience.

In a statement on Thursday, October 8, he said the training and certification were undertaken by the National Industrial Training Authority (NITA) as part of efforts to formally recognise skills gained outside traditional education and training pathways.

Ruto noted that the graduates had acquired skills across various sectors, including construction, electrical work, textiles, automotive technology, leatherwork, hospitality, ICT and cosmetology.

"Some 3,772 graduates received certification for skills and competencies acquired through experience in building and construction, electrical work, textile and automotive technology, leatherwork, hospitality, ICT and cosmetology, among others," he said.

Ruto said the certification marked an important step in recognising skilled workers who had contributed to the country's development despite lacking formal recognition of their expertise.

"These skilled young people have built Kenya even before Kenya recognised them. Today, the country recognises them," he added.

Ruto said the government was also working to create more opportunities for the newly certified workers by helping them connect with potential customers.

He said the graduates had been encouraged to use the Fundi Locator App, a platform launched by the government to link skilled workers with customers seeking their services.

"We have encouraged them to take advantage of the Fundi Locator App, which we have launched to help skilled workers connect with customers and access more opportunities," he concluded.

This comes weeks after the government has disclosed how billions of shillings have been allocated and disbursed to youth programmes over the past four financial years.

The programmes covered in the breakdown were the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA), Vijana Vuka Na Afya (VIVA), WHO'Z NEXT, Youth Empowerment Centres (YECs), and President's Award Kenya.

NYOTA received no allocation or disbursement in the 2022/23 and 2023/24 financial years. In 2024/25, the programme was allocated Ksh553.51 million, out of which Ksh279.01 million was disbursed.

The allocation increased to Ksh940.05 million in 2025/26, while the amount disbursed rose to Ksh1.108 billion.

VIVA, another youth-focused programme, received Ksh85.16 million in the 2022/23 financial year, with Ksh104.88 million disbursed.

In 2023/24, the programme had an allocation of Ksh160.84 million and a disbursement of Ksh177.56 million. The allocation increased to Ksh247.50 million in 2024/25, while Ksh186.68 million was disbursed.

For the 2025/26 financial year, VIVA received an allocation of Ksh256 million, with Ksh120.45 million disbursed.

WHO'Z NEXT had no budgetary allocation or disbursement during the 2022/23, 2023/24 and 2024/25 financial years.

The programme was allocated Ksh10 million in 2025/26, with the full Ksh10 million reported as disbursed.

The government also provided funding for Youth Empowerment Centres across the four financial years.

In 2022/23, YECs received an allocation of Ksh50 million, of which Ksh32 million was disbursed. The allocation fell to Ksh30 million in 2023/24, with Ksh12 million disbursed.

In 2024/25, the programme was allocated Ksh19.42 million, with the entire amount disbursed. The allocation increased to Ksh45 million in 2025/26, although Ksh11.90 million had been disbursed.

President's Award Kenya recorded equal allocations and disbursements throughout the four financial years.

The programme received Ksh20 million in both allocation and disbursement in 2022/23, with the same Ksh20 million allocated and disbursed in 2023/24.

In 2024/25, the allocation and disbursement increased to Ksh38.8 million, while in 2025/26, both figures stood at Ksh35.02 million.